March 12: Someone to Hold Up Your Arms
You’re tired of being strong. Your arms are shaking, and the fight isn’t over.
“But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”
Israel was in a battle. Moses stood on a hill above it holding up the staff of God. As long as his hands were raised, Israel was winning. When his arms got tired and dropped, they started losing.
So Aaron and Hur did something simple. They sat Moses on a stone, and stood on either side of him, and held up his arms. One on each side. Until sunset. And the battle was won.
Moses was the leader. He had the staff. He’d seen God part the sea. And he still couldn’t hold his arms up all day by himself.
Neither can you.
Step Three is a decision to turn your will and your life over to God’s care. Sometimes God’s care looks like a quiet peace in prayer. Often it looks like two people standing next to you, holding your arms up when you can’t. A sponsor who answers at eleven at night. A friend from the meeting who drives over. A spouse who sits with you through a hard evening.
Letting people help isn’t a lack of faith. It’s one of the ways faith works. God chose to win that battle through tired Moses and two friends with a rock.
Many people in recovery resist this. They’d rather pray alone than call someone. They’re afraid of being a burden. They think needing people means their faith is weak. But look at Moses. Needing help didn’t make him less of a leader. It made the victory possible.
Who are your Aaron and Hur? If you don’t have two people you can call when your arms are tired, finding them is one of the most important things you can do this month. Ask at a meeting. Ask at church. Ask for people of your own gender who have more sober time than you.
Then let them hold your arms. And someday, you’ll hold someone else’s.
One thing today
Write down the names of two people who could be your Aaron and Hur. If you only have one, or none, ask someone at your next meeting.
A prayer
Lord, I’m tired, and I can’t hold my arms up alone. Thank You for the people You send. Help me let them help me, and help me be that for someone else.
God’s care through people is part of Step Three.
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